Device for setting pivotally mounted jacks in a pattern wheel

ABSTRACT

A device is provided for setting pivotally mounted jacks in a pattern wheel. Such device includes a means for rotatably supporting the jack retaining ring of the wheel, mechanism for indexing such ring by rotating the ring to successively align jacks with a selectively operable jack raising lever, and camming means for flipping over raised jacks as the indexing mechanism rotates the jack-supporting ring.

[ 1 June 13, 1972 United States Patent Mishcon et a1.

.66/50 A Schmidt.......................................66/1

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS S e m 0 H wm 99 II WW 92 0 N7 60 79 n ov2 1892 Great Britain............... ....66/25 1,066,696 10/1959 LesterMishcom'Miami Beach; Donald W. Reagan, Hialeah, both of Fla.

[73] Assignee: The Singer Company, New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 62,269

Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-Marshall J. Breen, ChesterA. Williams, Jr. and William V. Ebs

ABSTRACT .66/1 R, 66/50 A 37/04 25, 40, 50 A, 156, 50 B [51]Int.Cl..,............

A device is provided for setting pivotally mounted jacks in a 1 patternwheel. Such device includes a means for rotatably sup- [58] Field ofporting the jack retaining ring of the wheel, mechanism for indexingsuch ring by rotating the ring to successively align jacks ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS with a selectively operable jack raisinglever, and camming means for flipping over raised jacks as the indexingmechanism rotates the jack-supporting ring.

66/50 A 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Saunders Carroll..... Carroll dsvba' 0144/16 17 Mun/am PATENTEDJUN 13 m2 3.668.897

sum 1 or 2 \s hi INYENTORS Lester Mlshcon and By Donald WReagan wnfvsssATTORNEY PATENTEDJUH 13 I972 3, 668 897 sum 2 or 2 INVENTORS LesterMlshcon and By Donald W. Reagan WITNESS DEVICE FOR SETTING PIVOTALLYMOUNTED JACKS IN A PATTERN WHEEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention The invention relates to pattern wheels for circularknitting machines and more particularly to mechanisms for setting jacksin such wheels.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is known in the art to provide apattern wheel with radially slidable jacks, and mechanism as shown, forexample, in US. Pat. No. 2,990,702 is available for use in setting suchjacks in the wheel. However, it is difficult and costly to manufacture apattern wheel as shown in the said patent, and such pattern wheel isinefficient in operation. A principle difficulty is that the jacks insuch a pattern wheel may not be swedged at their outer ends forengagement with needle butts since the swedged ends would prevent radialmovement of the jacks in pattern wheel slots. The jacks must be uniformin thickness throughout their length and their thickness must be greaterthan would be required if the ends which contact the needle butts couldbe swedged. The walls of the pattern wheel defining slots for the jacksmust therefore be thin and inserts are required to form the wallsbecause of the otherwise difficult if not impossible machining problempresented. Also, since the walls cannot be tapered at their outerextremities to provide gear-like teeth to mesh with the butts ofneedles, freedom from interference between needle butts and the walls ofthe pattern wheel cannot be assured. There is therefore a need for apattern wheel from which the aforesaid disadvantages have beeneliminated and for a device which may be used to set the jacks in suchwheel. Our copending Patent Application for Pattern Wheel with PivotallyMounted Jacks, Ser. No. 27,014 filed Apr. 9, 1970, (Now U.S. Pat. No.3,620,049) is directed to such a wheel and the present application isdirected to a device for setting the jacks in the wheel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The jack setting device of the inventionincludes means for rotatably mounting the jack-supporting ring of apattern wheel, means selectively operable on the jacks for raising jacksfrom a needle actuating position and cam means engageable with theraised jacks for flipping over such jacks to a nonactuating positionupon relative motion of the jack-supporting ring and cam means.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved jack settingdevice operable to index the jack-supporting ring of a pattern wheel andto move pivotally mounted jacks therein from a needle actuating to anon-actuating position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a jack setting devicewhich is effective to move a pivotally mounted jack in thejack-supporting ring of a pattern wheel into a non-actuating positionwhile the ring is indexed for jack-selection.

lt is still another object of the invention to provide a device forsetting jacks in pattern wheels which is simple in construction and bothreliable and efficient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring a reading of the specification taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a jacksetting device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view showing the mannerin which jacks are set by the device of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane ofthe line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing portions of the deviceof FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 5-5of FIG. 1; and 4 FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the planeof the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings,reference character 10 designates the jack-supporting ring of a patternwheel of the kind shown and described in our copending application forPattern Wheel with Pivotally Mounted Jacks, Ser. No. 27,014 filed Apr.9, 1970.

The supporting ring includes jacks 12 pivotally mounted on arms 14 whichare held in the ring with finger 16 in annular slot 18 and cover 20secured to the ring, by screws 22, the jacks being movable betweenneedle-actuating positions wherein outer portions extend into spaces 24between teeth 26 of the supporting ring 10 and non-actuating or foldedpositions wherein the jacks rest on the top of the arms 14.

The device of the invention for use in setting jacks in a pattern wheelis denoted by reference character 28 and includes a base 30 and a handle32, to which a plate 33 is secured at 34. A shaft 36 fixedly mounted inthe handle 32 rotatably supports the handle in the base. Slot 38 inplate 33 and slot 40 in the handle receive respectively a stub shaft 42and an integral foot 44 located at one end of the shaft. The other endof the shaft 42 is threaded at 46 to receive a nut 48 for securing thestub shaft 42 and a sleeve 50 thereon in a fixed position on the handle32 with the axes of the stub shaft 42 and sleeve 50 coincident with oreccentric to the axis of shaft 36, and with hub 51 which is fixedlyassociated with the pattern wheel jack-supporting ring 10 rotatable onthe sleeve 50. The position of the axis of rotation of the ring 10 withrespect to the axis of rotation of the handle 32 is determined accordingto the position selected for the stub shaft 42 in slot 40. The purposeof having the relative positions of such axes subject to variation is toenable the device of the invention to accommodate within limits patternwheel jack-supporting rings of different size.

The handle 32 includes an angular slot 52 and a lifting lever 54 whichis pivotally mounted at 56 in the slot 52. Lever 54 is flanged at oneend to form a pad 58 and is provided at the other end with a jackengageable finger-like portion 60. A spring 62 urges the lever 54 to aposition wherein the pad 58 is above the handle and finger-like portion60 is below the jack retaining ring 10. A pawl 64 is pivotally mountedat 66 on a member 68 which is secured to the handle at 70 and such pawlis biased by spring 72 into engagement with the pattern wheel supportingring 10. The relative locations on the handle 32 of member 68 and slot52 are such that with the pawl 64 in a space 24 between teeth 26 on thesupporting ring 10, depres sion of the lever 54 at pad 58 will result inthe finger-like portion 60 of the lever entering a space 24 between theteeth 26 of the supporting ring.

The handle 32 is movable in a clockwise direction, as viewed in thedrawings, from a rest position wherein the handle engages a stop 74 to aposition wherein the handle is engaged by another stop 76, and duringsuch clockwise rotational movement the pattern wheel jack-supportingring is moved with the handle 32 by pawl 64. Release of the handle 32 atthe stop 76 results in the handle being returned to the rest position bya rod 78 slidably mounted in the base 30 and biased by spring 80 againstthe handle 32. During such return movement of the handle, thejack-supporting ring remains stationary, as will be explainedhereinafter.

When operating the device to set jacks, successive clockwise rotationalmovements are imparted to the handle 32 and ring 10. Prior to theinitiation of any such movement of the handle the lever 54 may bedepressed at pad 58, that is, moved from position A to position B, toraise a jack 12 from the needle actuating position in which all jacksare initially disposed, or the lever may be left in the position inwhich it is biased by spring 62. If it is decided that a jack inalignment with the lever 54 is to be set in a non-actuating position thehandle is depressed prior to the handle being rotated. If however, thejack is to remain in a needle actuating position the lever 54 is notdepressed prior to rotation of the handle.

Assuming the lever 54 is depressed and the handle 32 then rotated, thejack 12 with which the lever 54 is aligned is raised about its pivotalmounting by the finger-like projection 60 on the lever. Then as thehandle 32 is rotated, the pawl 64 pushes on the pattern wheel supportingring and the ring turns causing the jack to come in contact withcontoured surface 81 of the cam 82 which is secured to the b&e at 84 and86. When the lever 54 is depressed at the rest position of the handle32, a lever 88 pivotally mounted on the handle at 90 is caused by spring92, which is secured to the handle at 94, to assume a position wherein afinger 96 at one end overlies the lever 54 to hold it in the depressedcondition. The lever 54 is released when the handle in its clockwisemotion reaches a point at which stop 98, adjustably mounted on the baseat 100, contacts the lever 88 causing such lever to pivot so that thefinger 96 is withdrawn from its position over the lever 54, whereuponspring 62 moves the lever 54 to position C wherein the pad 58 is onceagain a substantial distance above the handle. The adjusted position ofthe stop should be such that release of the lever 54 occurs just priorto the handle 32 obtaining its limiting position in its clockwise motionas defined by the engagement of the handle with stop 76. As previouslyindicated, when the handle 54 is released at the stop 76 the handle isreturned to its rest position by rod 78 under the influence of spring80. During the return movement of the handle, the jack-supporting ring10 remains stationary and the raised jack remains on the cam 82, reverserotational movement of the jack-supporting ring being prevented by pawl102 mounted at 104 in member 106 which is secured at 108 to the base 30.Subsequent clockwise rotational movements of the handle 32 and ring 10result in the raised jack 12 being flipped over to a non-actuatingposition by surface 81 on the cam 82.

When the handle returns to the rest position, lever 54 comes intoalignment with another jack in the jack-supporting ring and such jackmay be raised for actuation by cam 82 as described or not according tothe position desired for the newly aligned jack in the wheel. If thelever 54 is not depressed, the jack in alignment with the lever 54remains in the needle actuating position when the handle 32 andjacksupporting ring are turned, and it is never brought into contactwith the cam 82. Although in FIG. 1 some jacks and associated arms 14have been omitted to simplify the drawing, it is to be understood thatordinarily the ring would be filled with jacks, no accommodating slotbeing left vacant.

The stops 74 and 76 are adjustable by screws 110 and 112 respectivelywhich may be set so that rotational clockwise movement of the handle andits accompanying counterclockwise return movement results in aligningthe lever 54 with each of the jacks in the ring successively such thatall of the jacks are rendered available for selection, or the stops maybe set so that only some of the jacks, as for example, every other jack,on the ring is brought into alignment with lever 54.

After the jack-supporting ring has been completely rotated in the device28 and positions determined for the jacks in the manner described, thejack-supporting ring 10 with its attached cover is removed from thedevice. A final cover as shown in the aforementioned patent applicationSer. No. 27,014 may then be applied over the jacks to assure that thejacks are held in the positions determined for them by operation of thedevice 28.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form, it is tobe understood that the words which have been used are words ofdescription rather than of limitation, and that changes within thepurview of the appended claims may be made without departing from thetrue scope and spirit of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what is claimedherein is:

1. A jack setting device for a needle controlling pattern wheel whichincludes a jack-supporting ring and jacks pivotally mounted in the ringfor movement between a needleactuating and a non-actuating position,said device comprising a support for the ring, and jack actuating meansselectively operable on the jacks for moving jacks on their pivotalmountings between the needle-actuating and non-actuating position, thering and jack actuating means being relatively rotatable whereby jacksmay be successively disposed for actuation by the jack actuating means,said jack actuating means including means operable to raise jacks fromthe needle-actuating position, and cam means engageable with the raisedjacks for flipping over the raised jacks to the non-actuating positionupon relative rotation of the jack-supporting ring and cam means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the ring and jack actuatingmeans have axes of rotation which are relatively adjustable.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the jack-supporting ring is attimes rotatable with the jack raising means and the jack raising meansis at other times rotatable with respect to the ring.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein the cam means is affixed tothe support for the wheel.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 including means for restrictingrotation of the wheel to one direction.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 including means defining limits ofrotational movement for the jack raising means.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said means defining limits ofrotation are adjustable.

8. A device as defined in claim 6 including spring means for moving thejack raising means with respect to the wheel.

9. A device as defined in claim 6 including means for locking the jackraising means in an operated position and for unlocking the jack raisingmeans at the end of a defined rotational movement.

1. A jack setting device for a needle controlling pattern wheel whichincludes a jack-supporting ring and jacks pivotally mounted in the ringfor movement between a needle-actuating and a nonactuating position,said device comprising a support for the ring, and jack actuating meansselectively operable on the jacks for moving jacks on their pivotalmountings between the needleactuating and non-actuating position, thering and jack actuating means being relatively rotatable whereby jacksmay be successively disposed for actuation by the jack actuating means,said jack actuating means including means operable to raise jacks fromthe needle-actuating position, and cam means engageable with the raisedjacks for flipping over the raised jacks to the nonactuating positionupon relative rotation of the jack-supporting ring and cam means.
 2. Adevice as defined in claim 1 wherein the ring and jack actuating meanshave axes of rotation which are relatively adjustable.
 3. A device asdefined in claim 1 wherein the jack-supporting ring is at timesrotatable with the jack raising means and the jack raising means is atother times rotatable with respect to the ring.
 4. A device as definedin claim 3 wherein the cam means is affixed to the support for thewheel.
 5. A device as defined in claim 3 including means for restrictingrotation of the wheel to one direction.
 6. A device as defined in claim5 including means defining limits of rotational movement for the jackraising means.
 7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said meansdefining limits of rotation are adjustable.
 8. A device as defined inclaim 6 including spring means for moving the jack raising means withrespect to the wheel.
 9. A device as defined in claim 6 including meansfor locking the jack raising means in an operated position and forunlocking the jack raising means at the end of a defined rotationalmovement.